Shloka 8

Matsya Purana — Iconographic Standards for the Navagrahas

Devanagari script

धूम्रा द्विबाहवः सर्वे गदिनो विकृताननाः गृध्रासनगता नित्यं केतवः स्युर्वरप्रदाः //

Transliteration

dhūmrā dvibāhavaḥ sarve gadino vikṛtānanāḥ gṛdhrāsanagatā nityaṃ ketavaḥ syurvarapradāḥ //

Translation

All the Ketus are smoke-hued, two-armed, club-bearing, and fierce of face; ever seated upon a vulture-seat—yet they are said to be bestowers of boons.

Word by Word

• dhūmrāḥ: smoke-coloured, dusky

• dvi-bāhavaḥ: two-armed

• sarve: all

• gadinaḥ: bearing a club/mace

• vikṛta-ānanāḥ: having distorted/terrifying faces

• gṛdhra-āsana-gatāḥ: mounted on (or seated upon) a vulture-seat

• nityam: always

• ketavaḥ: ketus/comets/fiery portents

• syuḥ: are/are said to be

• vara-pradāḥ: givers of boons, grantors of desired gifts

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s teaching on Ketu-lakshana, ultimately attributed to the Matsya tradition)

Entities Mentioned

• Ketu

Tags

• Jyotisha
• Ketu
• Omens
• Graha-Lakshana
• Puranic Cosmology

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

It does not directly describe Pralaya; it belongs to the Matsya Purana’s omen-astrology (Ketu-lakshana), where celestial ‘ketus’ are characterized in form and function as portents that can still confer auspicious outcomes (boons).

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

By framing ketus as interpretable signs, it supports the king’s and householder’s duty to heed auspicious timings and omens via learned advisors (jyotiṣikas), aligning actions—such as campaigns, rites, or major undertakings—with indications that promise ‘vara’ (desired results).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu rule is stated, but the verse gives a compact iconographic profile (color, arms, weapon, mount/seat) useful for ritual visualization and for identifying Ketu in jyotiṣa-based rites that seek protection or boon-granting outcomes.